Melbourne to Warrnambool Cycling Committee makes most of closed roads

The road, which leads to Warrnambool's breakwater and The Pavilion Cafe, will be closed to traffic for a series of criterium races from 7am to 2pm as part of a new event attached to Saturday's Powercor Melbourne to Warrnambool Cycling Classic.

With this opportunity the committee has teamed up with Warrnambool Athletics Club and a number of football clubs - including Warrnambool, South Warrnambool and Koroit - to run three additional events to further spice up the day.

WAC has two scheduled running events starting just after the support/elite women cross the line and before the elite men hit the tarmac around Viaduct Road.

A junior dash will start at 10am with a five-kilometre time trial 10 minutes after. Middle Island Maremmas will also be on show from 9am to 10am.

Following the elite men's criterium, the Melbourne to Warrnambool Cycling committee is pitting Warrnambool-based football-netball clubs against each other in the Dash for Cash.

Five footballers and five netballers from each club will have their fitness put to the test to determine which team is the fittest.

Participants will run one mile, starting at The Pavilion, running the road to the Stanley Street roundabout and returning.

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The three best male and three best female times are the club's result and the team with the lowest accumulated time wins its club $1000.

M2WCC chairman Shane Wilson said "it was an ideal opportunity" to host an event when the road was closed and crowds would be gathered to watch the cycling.

Koroit premiership player Todd White said he was excited for the chance to test his fitness and also help his club secure a little financial boost.

Meanwhile, Warrnambool Cycling Club's Darcy Worrall is gearing up to test his speed in Sunday's criteriums.

The 18-year-old will ride in the support men's class, which is the final race of the day, on a road he often uses for his training rides.

Worrall said he had no expectations but was was looking forward to having a bit of fun racing around the picturesque Warrnambool breakwater.

He said the extended weekend of the Melbourne to Warrnambool brought plenty of positive impacts.

"It drives the interest in cycling up and it also promotes the event and for people to come and visit Warrnambool," he said.

Port Fairy Cycling Club's Gerard Faulkner and Louis O'Callaghan and Hamilton's Callum Mirtschin are also taking part in the 12-rider strong support men's class.

Darrin Jones, John Watkinson (Port Fairy), Sam Dennis (Warrnambool), Chris Eichler and Chris Kennett (Hamilton) are riding in the masters criterium.

South-west rider Anne Taylor (Port Fairy) will also feature on Sunday when she races alongside the elite women in the support women's class.

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